Neisseria meningitidis is a Gram-negative encapsulated bacterium that can cause sepsis, meningitis, and death. N. meningitidis can be classified into at least 12 serogroups (including serogroups A, B, C, 29E, H, I, K, L, W-135, X, Y and Z) based on chemically and antigenically distinctive polysaccharide capsules. Strains with five of the serogroups (A, B, C, Y, and W135) are responsible for the majority of disease.
Meningococcal meningitis is a devastating disease that can kill children and young adults within hours despite the availability of antibiotics. There is a need for improved immunogenic compositions against meningococcal serogroups A, B, C, Y, and W135 and/or X.
Currently, a cross-protective vaccine or composition effective against a wide range of MnB isolates is not yet commercially available. For example, published results-to-date relating to a licensed multi-component composition for protection against serogroup B disease has not demonstrated a direct bactericidal immune response against multiple strains expressing heterologous LP2086 (fHBP) variants, at least in adolescents. At most, published results-to-date relating to the multi-component composition for protection against serogroup B disease appear to show immunogenicity against LP2086 (fHBP) variants that are homologous to the LP2086 (fHBP) variant in the multi-component composition. Accordingly, a cross-protective vaccine or composition effective against diverse MnB isolates is needed as is determining real-world vaccine coverage against a panel of diverse or heterologous meningococcal strains (e.g., representing different geographical regions).